Wheel-balancing machine



Sept. 17, 1940. A.|.. BELL 2,214,753 WHEEL-BALANCING momma Filed Sept. 19, 1938 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 v Sept. 17, 1940.

A. L. BELL WHEEL-BA1'.:ANCING MACHINE I I Filed-Sept. 19,1338 7 2 sheets-she 2' Htnvv Pom IL I 5 I I [I'NVENTOR I HLBEQT L. DELL PatentedSept. 17, I e .Z Z 14,75 8

U ITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE I l 2,214,15s H wnnnL-nmcm 'monmn' mam; neu, Columbus, Ohio Application September 19, 1938, Serial No. 230,600 (oils-s) My invention relates to a wheel balancing main the direction of the arrows, of Figure 2 with chine, particularly adapted to wheels of autothe tire-in position showing the hublof the-wheel mobiles. V e partially in section- This view illustrates the It is the objector my invention to provide an dynamlc'pr horizontal balancing and the loca- 5 apparatus that will quickly determine the static tion of the weight to correct the unbalance. 5 balance and the dynamic balance or an automo- Figure 8 is a perspective oi a typical weight bile wheel and its tire so that it maybe suitably which is applied to correct the unbalanced concounter-balancedto prevent excessive tire wear, dition of the wheel. n l wheel shimmy and similar conditions. 1 Figure 9 is aside sectional view through the It is my object to providea 'mechanismof endof the wheel supporting axle looking outsuch simple character thatany' one with very W r towards h orodleslight mechanical knowledge can accurately test Referring to'the drawings in detail, I are supan automobile wheel audits tire for statidand p r v b i blocks he e upp t dynamic unbalance and restore them to balance m y b of any a ter a d tho e illustrated 5 by the application of suitable weights. I are purely diagrammatic. In practice, Iprefer It is my object't'o providea wheel balancing to use suitable metal frame-works. v p mechanism comprising a wheel support onwhlch 3 designates a cradle having straight side memthe wheel is laterallyadjustable; a pivoted cradle e a and a u e e d members T crad e pivotally supported at right angles'to the points s pp ed t e t e end po a e axles of the supporter the tire onth'e cradleso that; which-pass through the tubularcradle in the end the vertical or static unbalance oi thewheel 3b and are bolted thereto by ;a nut 5 threaded d tir may be observed and thereafter the onthe thread 6 of do ee or'horizontal balance observed and g The other end of theaxle I is reduced in size, location of the weights to correct the unbalas at 1, and is mounted within abearing 8 car--- 3| ance determined; 1 I riedbetween the bearing blocks 2. There is This solves the problem of a mecha i m also mounted upon the arcuate end of the end 3b flciently simple for correction and perfect d oi the cradle 3 a spirit level 9 having a scale In termination oi the unbalanced. iti n v I along which the bubble H passes in orderto de- Wheel and tire, while at the same time, providermine the horizontal position of the cradle 3.

so in: a mechanism that can be o eret db per- The sides 3a. of'the cradle are providedwith 3 8 sm l mechanical experience, a d, gheap bearing blocks l2 havingupwardly. opening reenough to be Ipurchased; widely o t ak ceiving slots l3 for the ball bearings I! which ava labl me han sm for the correction of wheel are mounted p e reduced e di of t unbalance in automobile r air um g a wheel axle Hi. This axle is provided with a sleeve the lik 'wh ohcan not now ai'lord the very a split at at one n -v is pr i e com ile, ted mechanisms on'the market; I a .w a st p IS. the ends thereof bein connected Beierring tolthe drawings; v 1 I together as at 20 and 2| by-a screw bolt 22 having 0 igu e 1 ,5 e per pective 0! the wheel balancing ngnut 23; Thi serves to adjustably clamp the o! tin -invention with the axle about sleeve on the axle I. v to. be put into position, aaindieated by'the dott d The exterior of this sleeve is threaded at either 40 x end at 24 and 25. At each end, these threaded 3 is a top plan view thereof portions 24 and 25 have conical wheel clamps 26 3 18a detailedside elevation partially and 21 that are internally-threaded; as at 28 inrsection, or the wheel 1 a d th muting and are rotatably mounted on thethreaded ends a t mi g t 7 24 and 25,.respectively, o! the'slee'v'e l1. 1

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-, looking Method of i l direction 01 the arrows on-Figure 2. 1 Y

- 5 is a detailed plan view partially broken The. method of correcting the static and dyaway, of the nature 01 support at one end namic'unbalan'ce of a wheel byusing' the appaoi. the cradle and the'arrangement o! the sight ratus of the present inventionisas follows. Clamp 50 level mounted ontheend oi'the cradle. l9 and cone 21 are removed from sleeve l'l, the

Figure B is, a section on the line 0-4 of Figure 2. wheel is slipped over sleeve l1 and cone a 21 is looking in the direction or the arrows, showing tightened-up so as to'secure the wheel so that the static orvertical balancing of the tire. I a it is not rotatable relative to sleeve H (i. e. turns 5 5 Film 7 i a e tion on the line 1- -1, looking therewith). The sleeve and wheel'are then posim l v 2 tioned approximately in the middle of axle l6 so that the cradle initially will be approximately horizontal and locked in this position by tightening clamp is. The assembly is then placed in the cradle 3 by disposing bearings M in bearing blocks l2. The wheel is now freely rotatable about its own axis by reason of freely rotating ball bearings l4 and the cradle is freely rotatable about its own axis by reason of ball bearings 8. The operator now rotates the wheel slowly about its own axis, observing therlevel l0. As the wheel is thus rotated, the heavy point II located on one side'of the wheel and causing dynamic unbalance is moved radially and causes the cradle to rotate about its own axis, Thus, as the heavy point II is brought from the position shown in Figure 7 to a position where it is in the plane of the cradle, the cradle will tilt from the position of Figure 7 toward the horizontal position. Continuing the rotation, as heavy point II is rotated from the plane of the cradle up above the cradle, the cradle will again tilt in the direction indicated in Figure'l, although to not as great an extent as when the heavy point was below the cradle. Then as heavy point II comes again into the plane of the cradle, the: cradle will revert towards the horizontal position and finally as heavy point II moves towards the bottom again, it will cause the cradle v checks the wheel thus 1 at a particular point about its 'to place it so as to tilt to the angle of Figure 7. By noting the amount of deflection of the cradle from the horizontal during this rotation, the operator is'able with experience to determine the amount of and location of the counterweight necessary to overcome dynamic unbalance.

As the operator thus rotates the wheel, he also notes the tendency of the wheel to come to rest with a particular point at the bottom. This point is heavy point I, shown in Figure 6, which causes static unbalance. With experience, the operator is able to determine in the rotating operation described above both the dynamic unbalance and how much counterweight is necessary and where applies one or more counterproper position as at 33 and balanced. the same heavy point causes both static unbalance, and in such case and II of the drawings will coincide,

ances.; Hegthen weights 32 at the Frequently, dynamic and heavy points I to correct both of these unbal- In most cases the wheel will be in both dynamic and static unbalance and will tend to come to rest own axis and will a cause horizontal deflection of the cradle when it conditionof dynamic and static unbalance. some cases the wheel will be in static balance but is rotated'about its own axis. point or different heavy points may cause this dynamic unbalance. In such case the wheel will show no tendency to come to rest about its own axis at any'particulafr point but will stop at any point, although on rotation the dynamic unbalance will cause horizontal movement of the cradle.

In other cases the wheel will be in dynamic balance but static unbalance. In such case the wheel will show a tendency to come to rest about its own axis at a particular point but will show no deflection of the cradle when rotated about its own The same heavy scribed, may be 1 ditions and uses.

axis. In still other cases the wheel will be in perfect static and dynamic balance, in which case the wheel will not come to rest at anyparticular point when rotated about its own axis-and will not show any horizontal deflection of the cradle when so rotated. An example of such, a wheel is;

one balanced in accordancewith'the foregoing procedure.

Very rarely it happens that the wheel will be.

in perfect static balance but dynamically unbal- 2. In many cases the cradle would be sufliciently well balanced, whereupon the operator would omit Step 2.

Step 2.-The operator then shifts the sleeve II to the right or left along the shaft l6 until the cradle is fairly well balanced, whereupon the operator tightens the wing nut 23.

Step 3.-- The operator then begins to turn the wheel a little at a time, noting both the indications of thespirit level 9, and the tendency of the wheel to come to rest on the shaft, '6, i, e., the operator respectively, the dynamic With practice the operator will know where to place the counterweights to correct bothtypes of unbalance at once. This is perhaps the greatest advantage of this machine simultaneously checks, and the static balance.

correct static unbalance, and thewheel is then transferred to a machine which tests the dynamic unbalance, orv a separate operation must be performed to determine the static condition. the operator's job is greatly complicated by such aprocedure. o

Step 4.If nounbalance is indicated in Step 3, the wheel is probably a perfectly balancedone.

the dynamic unbalance did notregister because over others, where weights are first attached to -However in order to obviate therarechance that of the wheel's position on the shaft [6, the sleeve I1 is adjusted slightly tothe right or left, and Step 3 is again repeated. 0

It is obvious that this operation "is one that: can be performed by any person with a very modestmechanical knowledge as the observations are simple, but the result, as I have tested it, is an accurate and correct one. .v I

It will be readily appreciated that the mechanism of this invention, as illustrated and devaried" in a great many ways while still maintaining the use of the principle of this invention. I

It will be understood that I :desire to com-&

prehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying con- Having thus fully for pivotally supporting said cradle to freely rotate about the central longitudinal axis thereof,

mediate the ends of said is free to turn in a vertical'plane to indicate its static and dynamic unbalance, and means for ad- :Iusting the wheel along said axle. a I

. 2. In combination in a wheel-balancing. machine, a cradle comprising a frame having spaced side members and interconnecting end memdescribed my invention, what J I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

. '1. In a wheel balancing machineythe com- "bination of a cradle, meansat the ends thereof 5 a wheel supporting axle pivotally mounted 'intercradle and. normal to vthe'pivotal axis of the cradle whereby the wheel it. I

'bers,-'meansior freely and pivotally supporta rotatable body with its axis normal to said in: said cradle at its ends, means for supporting horizontal axis and allowing said body to rotate a an axle ireely intermediate the ends 0! .said on its own axis, and means for adjusting said v cradle and at right angles to said cradle-support" v 1 body laterally oi said'cradie on its own axis.

ing means comprising receiving socket blocks and 6. In a balancing machine, the combination of l a wheel supporting axle adapted to have its ends a cradle, means allowing said cradle to freely mounted in said blocks, an adjustable sleeve on, rotate about a central horizontal axis thereoi,

members adJustably threaded thereon,

said axle having threaded ends and-clamping means for indicating the horizontal position of b said cradle, and means associated with said V 3. In a. wheel balancing machine, the comcradle for receivinga rotatable body with its axis 10 bination of a cradle, axles at the ends of said normal to said horizontal axis and allowingsaid cradle, ball bearings on the ends of said axles, body to rotate on its own axis.

' means of supporting said cradle on said bearings, '1. In a balancing machine, the combination of means 0! indicating the horizontal position of a cradle, means disposed in line with a central saidcradle mounted thereon, axle supporting horizontal axis of said cradle allowing'said cradle means on either side of said cradle arranged'to ,to freely rotate about said horizontal axis, means support'an axle at rightan'gles to theaxleson "for indicating the horizontal position of said either end of. said cradle, an axle having ball cradle, and means associated with said cradle for I on either end thereof supported on the" Y receiving a rotatable body with its axis normal sides of said cradle transversely from side to side to said horizontal axis and in the same plane and S0 thereof, and means on said axle tor adiustably for allowing said body to rotate on its own positioningawheel andtirethereon. axis. 4. In a wheel balancing machine, the com- 8. In a balancing machine, the combination y bination 01a cradle, axles "at' the ends. ot' 'said of a cradle pivotally supported so as to be freely cradle, ball hearings on the ends oi said axles, rotatable about a central horizontal axis there- ,means of supporting said cradle on said bearings, through, and means associated with said cradle means 0! indicating the horizontal position or" for receiving a rotatable body withits axis norcradle mounted thereon, "axle supporting mal to said'horizontal axis and with its center means on either side of said cradle arranged to approximately in line with said horizontal axis support annxle at right angles to theaxles onand ior allowing said body to rotate on its own either end of said cradle, an axle havingball axis. a I bearings on either endthereotfsupported on, the 9. In a balancing machine, the combination 0! sides of said cradle transversely from side to side a 'cradle pivotally supported so as to be freely, thereof, and means on said axle tor adiustablyrotatable about a central horizontal axis therepositioning a wheel and tire thereon, said adjustthrough, means associated with said cradle ior able means comprising a sleeve adjustably receiving'a rotatable body with its axis normal [me about a central horizontal axis thereof, trom thehorizontal position.

mounted on said axle, said sleeve having'oppo to sa d horizontal axis and with its center ape-- sitelythreaded ends and conical wheel clamps proximately in line with said horizontal axis oppositely disposed thereon and threaded therein. and for allowing said body to rotate on its own 5. In a balancing machine, the combination or axis, and a level mounted on said cradle in such a a cradle, meansallowingsaid cradle toireely romanneras to indicate the deviation of said cradle associated with cradle forv receiving ALB L. BELL. 

